FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C) : 1st December 2024

The Advent season is to savour the loving promise of God
to us. The promising words of St Paul, “May the Lord make you
increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we
abound in love for you.” and the Psalms raise our hope to God.
Though our enthusiastic days are depleted by horrific disasters
around us, the Church raises hope that God is ever at work in His
promise. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of God’s promise to the
House of Israel and the House of Judah. Those ancient promises,
however, were expressions of the one promise that God fulfilled
for us: He sent us a Saviour to restore integrity and honesty.

With all integrity, Jesus forewarned us, “Be on guard so that
your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and the
worries of this life.” Jesus also reminds us that His abiding
promise must be our focus. Indeed, a promise cannot be coerced
upon but must be freely given and accepted. God’s promises
were given gratuitously. We receive them with open hands and
appreciate them with our lives.

The world challenges us to showcase the kind of life we are
meant to live, albeit in troubled situations. We live by the creed
we professs, so to love and be faithful as Jesus did. We live our
hope in deeds.

Lord God, confirm our hearts in deeds this Advent so that
we may be blameless and ready to meet Christ and his saints
when He comes.